Restraining order on 'Usawiya Nihandai'

An interim injunction by the Colombo District Court has temporarily halted the screening of Prasanna Vithanage’s latest film, ‘Usaviya Nihadai’ (Silence in the Courts’).

The film opened at the Regal Cinema in Colombo on Tuesday (4).

Colombo District Judge N.U. Gunasekara made the order consequent to a lawsuit filed by former District Judge Lenin Rathnayake, seeking a permanent injunction to prevent the screening of the film.

In his lawsuit, former District Judge Lenin Rathnayake said the film, based on the story of a woman sexually abused by a District Judge, was causing damage to his character and the reputation of the entire judiciary.

He said the allegations against him were baseless, unproven and unfounded and that no legal action had been taken against him in this regard.

The former District Judge said he had also filed suit against a TV programme, for making similar allegations.

The film was screened at several international film festivals, including the Ottawa Human Rights Festival, before screening in Sri Lanka.